Deputy Governor of Rivers State, Dr Ipalibo Banigo

From the day Dr
Ipalibo Banigo  to honoured the invitation to run as a mate to the Executive Governor of Rivers State, His  Excellency, Chief  Ezenwo Nyesom Wike, many Rivers people  learnt to appreciate her as a virtuous personality, and thenceforth, ceased to appraise her with the yardstick that hitherto equally  yoked her with her folk.
The reason isn’t far-fetched, whatever must have necessitated the choice of her above every other, especially the very ones with great thirst and hunger for political positions, is enough to grant her an express approval for such an enviable seat.
While some people approved of her based on her pedigree, others felt it is wise to test the womenfolk to have a taste of them, probably because of the mark made by known Nigerian women who have had the privilege to serve the nation; the likes of Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Oby Ezekwesili and the late Professor Dora Akunyili of blessed memory.
These women are known to have dispensed their duties without dragging their images in the mud.
Besides, people are tired of the sixteen years of democracy controlled by 99 per cent of the men without tangible and significant contribution of women in policy making. Hence, the mention of a woman as the potential deputy governor was like a surety to the restoration of the dignity and lost glory of the garden city and the state at large.
Somehow too, they may not be off the tract, after all it is said that behind every successful man, is a woman.
So, aside the political game of wooing the sympathy of the women folk to the Peoples Democratic Party which would culminate in more votes for the party given the numerical strength of the folk, the executive Governor must have realized the power of the woman in home building which also translates in nation building before he settled for the choice of a woman.
The Governor ofcourse wouldn’t have gotten any other better than the “chosen one”, the one on whom the lot fell on, Dr Ipalibo Banigo, because the yardstick for the selection was not based on flamboyance but on ‘brain power’, the inner beauty of the woman, which is far withdrawn from the physical features no wonder the governor in his campaign days said “Admittedly, the search has been long and thorough. We gave very deep thought and consideration to vital character traits and qualification the person should possess as the number two citizen of the state.
“The challenge to pick the right person was even more difficult in view of the present rot and decay in governance and infrastructure in Rivers State …. It became necessary to look for a fit and proper person with deep knowledge of the state’s bureaucracy and whose cognate experience would greatly add value to our programs of action”.
Although nature tried to balance the beauty equation in the Deputy Governor yet, it has to be understood that her inner beauty stands her out of her folk thereby making her the envy of all that she is today.
This accounts to the numerous applauses to her kitty as many, male and female see what is in her and do not doubt her ability to live up to expectation.
For Dr Ipalibo Banigo, her emergence as the Deputy Governor of Rivers State provides another window for her to interact and work with the Rivers State Civil Servants and even to serve them.
As a retired civil servant who served in various capacities and offices, she believes she is familiar and acquainted with the terrain of the state civil service and so has what it takes to turn around the fortunes of the civil servants.
During her campaigns Dr Banigo did not only raise the hope of the civil servants, she kept them salivating and praying for the eventual dawn of her days in the brick house.           Hence, for the civil servants in Rivers State, eth name “Dr Ipalibo Banigo”, is in itself a promissory note for prompt and regular payment of salaries, prompt and regular payment of pensions and gratuities, prompt and regular release of overheads and imprests to ministries and extra-ministerial departments, regular training of all categories of workers in the civil service as well as prompt and regular payment of state contributions to the reformed pension scheme among many others.
Although Dr Ipalibo is yet to commence active service, she was quick to remember her electoral promises and while appreciating the electorate for her victory at the polls, she said “together we shall serve and fulfill our electoral promises ……we shall reap the dividends of democracy under this governor ….”
For women in the state, their overwhelming  presence at the venue of the unveiling of Dr Banigo as a running mate to the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), their composition as they were adorned in different native attires, beaming with uncontrollable excitement explained their definition of the personality to be unveiled.
As the first female running mate of the governorship candidate, it was a historic master stroke in any political calculations in Rivers State.
Moreso, the choice of her would best be described as an invention of a caveat that silenced critics and created some sorts of balance in the political sphere.
The Rivers women are already heaving a sigh of relief and feeling a sense of belonging given her wealth of experience spanning over the decades.
Their hopes are high that the number two citizen of the state will surely constitute a springboard from which many women will reach their peak.
Expectations are high that with her, the journey to the realization of a female governor in Rivers State is cut short and many women would be encouraged into politics.
How about girl-child education and gender-violence? It is time to herald a new era where women would sing a new song of political awakening, a new song of socio-economic emancipation in 2015.
What less can you expect? As the saying goes, to whom much is given, much is expected, Dr  Ipalibo is just given much, the varying expectations are hinged on the fact that the able deputy governor is able indeed.
In realization of her worth and capability, Governor Ezebunwo Nyesom Wike expressed thus “Let me reiterate that our choice is not a run-of-the-mill material. She is competent, tested and seasoned professional and bureaucrat with several years as a key holder of highly challenging public offices in Rivers State”.
It will be worthy of mention that Dr Ipaligbo Banigo has served in Rivers State as Permanent Secretary, Head of Service and Secretary to the State Government before retiring meritoriously from the public service.

Sylvia ThankGod-Amadi